Radiofrequency (RF) and cryogenic ablation procedures are well recognized treatments for vascular and cardiac diseases such as atrial fibrillation. The application of either RF or cryogenic treatment is usually based on the preference of the physician or the specific tissue to be treated. In either RF or cryogenic ablation, however, the location and quality of the lesion produced is a primary concern. The clinical success of cardiac tissue ablation to treat arrhythmias depends on efficacy and safety of the application of the selected energy. In particular, successful treatments may involve successfully ablating problematic tissue while also preventing the transmission of ablative energy to surrounding healthy or otherwise non-targeted tissue.
For example, during procedures such as pulmonary vein ablation or pulmonary vein antrum isolation (PVAI), an ablation device may be used to ablate cardiac tissue surrounding one or more pulmonary veins in the left atrium of the heart. However, ablation extending into the pulmonary veins can contribute to serious complications for the patient, including pulmonary vein stenosis, phrenic nerve injury, and embolic events. Medical imaging modalities provide some aid in assessing the particular location of the ablation device within the patient. However, minimally-invasive ablation procedures are typically performed within a beating heart, and the tortuous, moving cardiac environment presents challenges in accurately locating a targeted tissue and positioning a medical device in place to treat the tissue, even with external imaging systems.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide systems and methods of use thereof that facilitates accurate positioning of a medical device within a patient for subsequent treatment while avoiding damaging surrounding structures or tissue regions that are not the target of a therapeutic or diagnostic procedure.